Research Proposal: Bamboo Industry

In India, bamboo is considered "the poor man's timber." Over the past 20 years, bamboo has become a significant, sometimes superior substitute for wood. Currently, in some way or another in, the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan reports, approximately 1.5 billion people depend on bamboo products. In light of the significances of the bamboo industry, this thesis relates relevant research regarding the bamboo industry and asserts that a number of bamboo products, particularly those processed and manufactured for use in constructing houses and household items, primarily qualify as being eco-friendly.

From the literature reviewed for this study, the researcher completes a PEST Analysis, as well as a SWOT analysis to investigate factors contributing to the bamboo industry. Ultimately, the researcher finds that the literature concurs that bamboo products used in construction, despite a number of inherent concerns, may be considered eco-friendly.

"Bamboo has tremendous potential for economic, environmental development and international trade"

(Lobovikov, p. 31).

In India, bamboo is considered "the poor man's timber." Over the past 20 years, bamboo has become a significant, sometimes superior substitute for wood. In the book, World bamboo resources: a thematic study prepared in the framework of the Global Forest Resources Assessment, Maxim Lobovikov asserts: "Bamboo may replace wood in many industrial applications and thereby contribute to the saving and restoration of the world's forest (p. 31)." Along with helping meet needs brought about by the increasing world population and efforts to improve living standards that currently contribute to pressure increasing on forest resources, the bamboo industry, according to Sarah Fobes in "Bamboo Industry Could Bolster Developing Nation's Economies," "The global bamboo industry is currently worth around $11 and is projected to reach $15-$20 billion per year in the next decade" (¶ 4). Currently, in some way or another in, the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan reports, approximately 1.5 billion people depend on bamboo products. In light of the significances of the bamboo industry, this thesis relates relevant research regarding the bamboo industry and asserts that bamboo products processed and manufactured for use in constructing houses and household items primarily qualify as being eco-friendly.

Due the distinct perception of bamboo being a renewable and eco-friendly resource material, it depicts one of the increasingly prevalent, natural resources individuals choose to substitute to produce various products. Consumer product demands currently lean toward the organic movement. Ann Whitman, the National Gardening Association, and Suzanne DeJohn (2009) explain in Organic Gardening for Dummies - for dummies, that the organic movement advocates natural farming methods, while it eschews "the 'chemical' way of doing things, believing that it disrupts the natural ecological order, creating an escalating cycle of dependency on stronger and newer chemicals (p. 27). "Going Green," which means "to pursue knowledge and practices that can lead to more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyles, which can help protect the environment and sustain its natural resources for current and future generations," according to Going Green Web Guide (2009), is becoming the universal term that to reference the quality of life style an individual who choosing to live a more environmentally and ecologically responsible lifestyle. The organic and "Going Green" movements, along with others, define the fuel driving the purchasing power of the consumers; for what they currently perceive as being eco-good. Consequently, marking a product as it eco-friendly qualifies it as the hot item to have or buy.

This particular new trend of marketing products as eco-friendly qualifies constitutes such a strong market force that producers are switching gears and restructuring their companies to help ensure they will not fall off short from their upcoming competitors. Changes in considerations relating to eco-friendly products and services have evolved into to the growing number of buyers questioning the source/s of their goods and services and the type/s of process/es implemented to make or produce the products or services. In the contemporary eco-friendly growing, global environment, many individuals express concern regarding the extent of damage that humans inflict on natural resources and how to counter those negative practices.

Methodology

During the first of half of the paper, the researcher focuses on the social, economic, political, and environmental aspects of the industry. Through the examination of the literature, the researcher examines the manufacturing and distribution of one of the particular goods being produced from bamboo to identify and determine if it really is eco-friendly.

BAMBOO

General Scope and Definition

Confirming generalizations regarding specific attributes of the 1500 species of bamboos proves difficult, as does the services to biodiversity that bamboo provide and their description within ecosystems. "For example, some monopodial bamboo species are the dominant species in their ecosystem; in parts of Southern China, India and South America these bamboo forests can cover thousands of hectares and host species which are indigenous to them" (Bamboo and Rattan…, ¶ 1). Some bamboos differ in their relationship with their surrounding environment and grow as only one of a myriad of species in an ecosystem. Most of the 1200 species of bamboo, the world's largest plant in the grass family, may be found in Asia. In the book, Riches of the forest: food, spices, crafts and resins of Asia, Citlalli Lopez Binnquist, Citlalli Lopez, and Patricia Shanley note that along with regularly serving as a theme in songs, poems, and paintings, bamboo "with its strength and flexibility, has infinite uses and aesthetically has long been a source of inspiration in Asian literature and the arts" (p. 46). One Chinese poem asserts that bamboo is vital: "It is quite possible not to eat meat, but not to be without bamboo" (Ibid.). Figure 1 depicts a bicycle frame made from bamboo. Bamboo bicycle frames date back to 1896.

Figure 1: Bamboo Bicycle Frame (Stickman)

In numerous countries, particularly in the east, particularly products made from bamboo are a natural part of everyday life, from the cradle to the grave (Binnquist, Lopez, and Shanley). In the Web article, "Bamboo: The Miracle Crop From the Past and a Hope for the Future," the writer, Stickman, points out that in addition to bicycle frames, skateboards may also be manufactured from bamboo. Current skateboard construction involves gluing layers of resilient hardwood with toxic epoxies for strength. When these skateboards are no longer used, they release toxic materials of epoxies, varnish and shellacs into the environment when discarded.

A bamboo skateboard, on the other hand would be compostable. It would not pollute the environment with toxic materials. "In China and Japan can Bamboo knives are used to cut the umbilical cord at birth and was deceased, the body of a dead person rests upon a tray made from bamboo" (Binnquist, Lopez, and Shanley, p. 46). Cultures in Southeast Asian countries, such as China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam may be referred to as "bamboo civilization" or "bamboo culture." Bamboo has been historically used and continues to be used for a myriad of products, which include, but are not limited to: military armor; in paddy fields dam water; housing and parts; including kitchen utensils, and complete houses; animal shelters; baskets; bird cages; ladders; tobacco pipes; picture frames; woven mats. Bamboo reportedly even has a vital role as a fuel.

Due to its increasing economic potential, many entrepreneurs and others in the bamboo industry consider bamboo "green gold." Each year, China reportedly sells several billions of dollars worth of bamboo products to the U.S. "In Vietnam,… in addition to its everyday, local applications, bamboo issues to make handicrafts for export to Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Europe and the United States of America." Edible bamboo shoots are also collected and sold to middlemen…" (Binnquist, Lopez, and Shanley, p. 47). Non-edible, fibrous parts of the bamboo are manufactured into low quality paper, exported to Taiwan as "fake money," burned during religious prayers.

China, reportedly the world's richest bamboo producing company grows more than 500 bamboos species; with 4.2 million hectares of bamboo plantations and natural stands. Historically, only specialized artisans manufactured bamboo products. During the past 25 years, however the Chinese opened the bamboo industry to all sectors of society. One of China's largest bamboo growing and processing regions located in Anji, in the south of China, has experienced phenomenal growth during recent years; expanding Between expanded approximately 35% each year between 1980 and 1998. In this region, the bamboo culms and shoots serves as the primary source of income for farmers and others employed in the bamboo industry. In 1998, 18,900 individuals worked in the bamboo industry in Anji, contributing…
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